by James E. Knight
Empire’s heir, or vampire’s heir; in our historical experience, they have had the same meaning. A malevolent kidnapper who has sucked our lifeblood without remorse, and has left us to perish, while they enjoy the vitality, the vigor and the absolute luxury that the iniquitous transfusion has made possible.
It’s not just a matter of Britain’s major role in the greatest crime against humanity, and the great wealth and industrial development which it brought that country, at our expense. The truth is that the Royal Family of England participated directly in the trafficking and enslavement of African people and amassed a tremendous fortune, which they continue to enjoy most lavishly until this day. They owned slave ships and slaves on plantations.
Then after slavery, as the kingdom continued to extract our marrow through colonial domination, members of the British royal family continued to hold estates in our region.
The multimillion bank accounts of these royals, the hundreds of millions of Queen Elizabeth and the many billions of the Crown Estate, are certainly not common wealth. They have it all. Yet we, along with their country, belong to a ‘Commonwealth’ and the head of their family is always our head of state.
So here we are, after all these centuries, still Her Majesty’s this, and on the brink of becoming His Majesty’s that. Worse yet, we are still paying for it with the precious few pennies that we barely have at times in our treasuries. We pay locals to represent the British monarch as our Head of State, and finance the entire operations of that office. The money does not come from the Queen.
But now and then, she or one of her family members, even a grandchild, drops in to remind us that we must admire and exalt them for all that they have done to us. A chance to wave, or a precious opportunity to touch their golden hands, through a wire fence, is something that should bring us great joy.
Prince William, an heir to the throne, and automatically to our office of Head of State, came to the Caribbean, and as politically correct as the monarchy could afford to be, he delivered a carefully scripted bit of deadpan drivel, claiming to feel deep sorrow for what happened during slavery. Full stop. Smile, and be glad to cheer me, in all of your historically imposed poverty and suffering. I just happen to be fortunate – and, of course, superior. I look forward to being your Head of State.
For a people coming predominantly from the slave plantation, the dignity of having one’s own Head of State, instead of the historical absentee owner, is not just a noble aspiration, but a corrective and collective historical responsibility.
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The ABLP should make this an important part of their election Manifesto. The time has come for this nation to have a Black head of state, a man or woman. Indeed, the present Governor General could well be our first President. The UPP won’t touch this issue with a ten foot pole, but the ABLP may well do so. It seems the people want Antigua and Barbuda to become a Republic following the next election. The current Queen may be a gracious lady, however those who will follw after her seem like scamps in comparison. LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA. This should be the ABLP battle cry in the next election.
“At least one knowledgeable source has indicated that DISCUSSION OF REPUBLICANISM took place in the ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA LABOUR PARTY AROUND THE 2014 ELECTION. We are aware that the opposition UPP SUCCUMBED to the intellectual indecency of the short-sighted in its midst and led the call for the rejection of the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
https://antiguanewsroom.com/antigua-and-barbuda-the-republic/
That will never, ever happen. The recently adopted system of Knighthoods is very important to the economy as it quietly attracts huge attention from many who aspire to that title.
The UPP has said time and time again that as a government they will move towards the status of a Republic.
Check out their 2018 Manifesto.
ABLP IN 2014 DISCUSSED REPUBLICANISM AT LENGTH.
2018 is a day late and a dollar short. Too late, too late shall be the cry for the UPP!
“At least one knowledgeable source has indicated that DISCUSSION OF REPUBLICANISM took place in the ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA LABOUR PARTY AROUND THE 2014 ELECTION. ”
https://antiguanewsroom.com/antigua-and-barbuda-the-republic/
Too late, too late shall be the cry? I thought ABLP would have acted on that in 14 days like they promised solution to the water woes back then but then again, after eight years, none of those issues seem to have any importance to them. You should just keep thinking instead for you only put YOURSELF and the ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA LABOUR PARTY in more puckkatery when you open your mouth to talk.
REPUBlICanism SHOULD BE THE TOP ITEM ON THE LABOUR MANIFESTO. LOVELL-ISM WON’T MAKE THAT PROMISE, BUT GASTON SHOULD. THAT ISSUE ALONE WILL BRING IN HUNDREDS OF EXTRA VOTES IN THE ELECTION.
This picture makes me want to VOMIT … 🤮
Carry your own head on your body. Be a Sovereign. That is what the headline should have read.
The time will come when Britain will no longer want to be head of state in the Caribbean. There is really nothing to gain except easy access to our tourism market. We are a multi racial community and that we cannot change .Blacks , White and Brown people own the Caribbean so the colour of the person who is head of State makes no difference. I do not want to be from Britain, (Alkebulan , Africa), USA, China or Russia.:I am a West Indian . A Caribbean Man.
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